Financial matters

Home and other EU Students

New full-time students from lower income households are eligible for a non-repayable Maintenance Grant of up to £2,906 (in 2010-11). The amount you will receive is dependent on your family’s income, assessed by your award agency. There are also grants available for certain groups of students with additional costs, such as student parents and those with a disability.

If you qualify for a Maintenance Grant, you will also be eligible for a Cambridge Bursary of up to £3,400 in 2010-2011 per year (£5,000 per year for some mature students).

You will also be able to borrow money to cover your living costs each year, in the form of a loan from the Student Loans Company. The money you borrow has to be paid back in installments once you have graduated and are earning a minimum salary of £15,000 per year.

Overseas Students

Limited means-tested financial support is available to overseas students from the Cambridge Commonwealth Trust or the Cambridge Overseas Trust.

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Home and EU Students

In 2009-10, the University of Cambridge will charge tuition fees of £3,145 per year for all undergraduate courses. Your fees can be paid via a government loan, repayable in installments after you have graduated and are earning a minimum salary of £15,000 per year. UK and EU students do not have to pay an additional College fee, unless they are studying for a second degree and therefore not eligible in principle for any maintenance support.

Islands Students

Students from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man pay tuition fees at the same level as UK and EU students, but they also have to pay an additional College fee. Fees vary slightly between Colleges. For 2008-09 the Jesus College fee is £4,107. You should allow for increases in subsequent years.

Overseas Students

The definition of an overseas student depends on both residence and nationality. Normally a student who has been ordinarily resident in the UK for three years immediately preceding the date on which their university course begins, other than for the purpose of education, will not be defined as an overseas student. Home students whose families have been temporarily posted abroad will usually retain their home status. All others will be overseas students.

Tuition fees for overseas students vary depending on the course being followed. Details of the fee levels for 2009-10 can be found here. You should allow for increases in subsequent years.

Overseas students also have to pay an additional College fee. Fees vary slightly between Colleges. For 2008-09 the Jesus College fee is £4,107. You should allow for increases in subsequent years.

The College has a number of substantial funds from which grants are made for various purposes. The relief of undergraduate hardship is the major priority, and the College does its best to help students, through grants and loans as appropriate, to keep their financial problems within manageable bounds. There are also funds which relate to specific subjects (e.g. medical studies) or activities (e.g. competitive sport). From the Research Fund assistance is provided for research students wishing to attend conferences which are directly related to their field of study.

In addition, the College sets aside a sum of money each year to support travel abroad in the vacations by its undergraduate members. This is supplemented by such special awards as the Sir Denys Page Award of £300 for travel to Greece, and the James Baddeley Poole Bursaries (three a year varying between £410 and £425 each) for travel preferably in Italy or Norway.

The College awards Foundation Scholarships and Exhibitions on the basis of performance in University examinations. Undergraduates gaining First Class Honours in the examination at the end of their first year are elected Foundation Exhibitioners of the College and receive the sum of £90. If an undergraduate’s performance in that examination is particularly outstanding, the election may be to a Foundation Scholarship, which carries the sum of £150. Junior members of the College who gain First Class Honours in University examinations at the end of their second, third or fourth years are also elected Foundation Scholars of the College and receive sums of £150.

The College awards a large number of prizes each year on the basis of University examination results. The most prestigious College prizes are the Keller Prizes, which are awarded in the year of graduation to men and women with distinguished academic records throughout their course. But there are many others for outstanding Tripos performances in particular subjects as well as some which are not tied to examination performance.

Cambridge University offers an unlimited number of bursaries to ensure that students can meet the cost of their Cambridge education, regardless of background. Find out more here.

There are also a number of other funding schemes available through the Isaac Newton Trust.

Jesus College offers accommodation to all undergraduates throughout their course. For more information about accommodation see here.

Your total living costs (rent, food, books and study materials, clothing, entertainment etc.) will obviously depend on your lifestyle. We estimate that a home student should allow on average £5,700 a year for living costs. You should allow for increases in subsequent years.

The living expenses of an overseas student may be higher than that of a home student, for instance if you have to stay in the UK during vacations. The minimum resources needed (excluding the University and College fee) in 2005-6 are estimated to be £6,143. You should allow for increases in subsequent years.

For more information about living costs at Cambridge see here.